The Land Rover Defender and its boxy appearance won over enthusiasts thanks to its timeless styling and off-road capabilities. The last model, which was largely unchanged since it hit the market in 1983 was discontinued in 2016, and there has been a cry for a new generation ever since. Recently, Land Rover decided to show off one image of the new Defender, and everyone was drooling. But, not as much as you’re going to drool today as Land Rover not only released a handful of official spy shots but has finally confirmed its debut in 2019 as a 2020 model. The best part is that it’s coming to America!

The 2020 Land Rover Defender

At this point, Land Rover has managed to keep a pretty tight lid on any details about the new Defender. The only thing that we can say with complete certainty is that it will feature the same boxy, G-Class-Fighting design that made it so popular in the early 1980s. It might be a little longer, but it’ll be boxier than ever even with an all-new design outside. The engines under the hood should show significant improvement over the outgoing model, and you can expect some transmission trickery too. Whether we’ll see a manual transmission or not remains to be seen, but this thing is designed with off-roading in mind, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility.

More importantly, it should pick up some of Land Rover’s latest and greatest technology. The brand has to be careful not to overdo it and ruin the purpose of the vehicle, but it’s probably best to believe that the brand has enthusiasts in mind. It day say, however, that it’s targeting a “broader public appeal” so maybe it’ll be the best of both worlds. Won’t that be nice? T There’s even the possibility for a hybrid model to make its way into the lineup as well – you know, for that broader public appeal and such.

We still don’t know when in 2019 we’ll see the new Defender. It could happen at the Detroit or Chicago Auto Shows, or it could even happen at the New York or Geneva Auto Shows. Any of these are more likely that shows that come later in the year, as Land Rover needs enough time to build up significant hype and take in public opinion for last-minute changes before shifting into full production. For now, enjoy these official spy shots and stay tuned for more information – we’ll be sure to bring it to you as soon as we get it.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2017 Land Rover Defender.